The invention relates to an electric machine and, more particularly, to a housing of the electric machine.
Many types of housings are used to encapsulate electric machines such as electric motors, dynamos, generators, and alternators. Exemplary housing types include a totally enclosed housing, a drip-proof housing, and an open housing. The weight of each housing tends to vary with the size of the electric machine. For example, a large electric machine tends to weigh heavier than a relatively smaller electric machine. Additionally, a heavier housing generally results in more material being used to encapsulate the electric machine. This tends to increase the overall production cost of the machine.
Many factors also affect the efficiency of an electric machine. For instance, the performance of the electric machine can be related to the housing of the electric machine. For example, when the heat generated by the electric machine during operation is not dissipated through the housing, the performance of the electric machine may degrade, thus leading to a less efficient electric machine. Other factors that affect the efficiency of an electric machine include the alignment of components in the electric machine.